Transcript Lecture 1: - Masaryk University

Lecture 13:
Participles
Use of Gerunds
Participles
Participles are often used to shorten sentences:
i. The simple -ing form: used to refer to simultaneous actions or
parallel states:
When he was browsing the site, he received several cookies.
X
(When) Browsing the site, he received several cookies.
(the subjects are identical)
While he was tempering with the hardware, he made a real mess of
it.
X
(While) Tempering with the hardware, he made a real mess of it.
Martin Dvořák:
Participles
Since gateways amplify the signal they receive, they ensure its
appropriate strength.
X
Amplifying the received signal, gateways ensure its appropriate
strength.
Since it is a terminal which comprises a monitor and keyboard
only, it is considered a dumb client.
X
Being a terminal comprising a monitor and keyboard only, it is
considered a dumb client.
Participles
Passive forms:
When the file was transferred in the binary mode, it was
stripped of carriage returns.
X
Being transferred in the binary mode, the file was stripped of
carriage returns.
When they are not asked, they should be quiet.
X
Not being asked, they should be quiet.
Participles
ii. The past participle form:
This is the matter which was discussed many times before.
X
This is the matter discussed many times before.
He received the e-mail which was addressed to everyone.
X
He received the e-mail addressed to everyone.
This is the station which is connected to the network.
X
This is the station connected to the network.
Participles
iii. Past Gerund form: (having + past participle) - used to denote
chronological separation
After the data-link layer receives confirmation that the packet has
arrived undamaged, it deletes the packet.
X
Having received confirmation that the packet has arrived
undamaged, the data-link layer deletes it.
After the modem detected noise on the line, it terminated the
connection.
X
Having detected noise on the line, the modem terminated the
connection.
Participles
When she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, she broke
up with him.
X
Having found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, she broke up
with him.
Since the message was not re-routed properly, it did not avoid the
congestion.
X
Not having been re-routed properly, the message did not avoid the
congestion.
Note: Use of participles makes speech (writing) sound (look)
formal and academic!!
Use of Gerunds
Making scripts for my boss is my worst nightmare.
X
The making of scripts for my boss is my worst nightmare.
(archaic)
The most common preposition-free verbs followed by gerunds:
admit, appreciate, avoid, celebrate, commence (začít), consider,
deny, detest (nesnášet), dislike, enjoy, fear, finish, go, imagine,
keep, mention, mind, miss, postpone, practice, resist (odolávat),
stand (vystát), suggest
The golden rule to remember: When you can put “something”
behind the verb, if you want to put another verb behind it, it
should be in the gerund form.
Use of Gerunds
He admitted making a mistake.
I appreciate her debugging the source code. (I appreciate that she
is debugging/she debugs the source code.)
I appreciate her having debugged the source code. (I appreciated
that she has debugged the source code)
My schoolmate considered buying himself a new computer.
He does not enjoy working with that programming language.
I hate him/his smoking in this room.
Use of Gerunds
The most common verbs combined with prepositions:
agree with, apologize for, approve of (souhlasit s, schvalovat),
benefit from (mít prospěch z), depend on, feel like (mít chuť), insist
on (trvat na), look forward to, object to (mít námitky vůči), rely on,
resort to (uchýlit se k), succeed in, think of, vote for (hlasovat pro)
I apologized for sending him a virus-infected file.
He strongly objected to using FLASH technology on that site.
I don’t feel like learning to work with another OS.
They resorted to launching the applications from the command
line.
Our teacher succeeded in mastering some basic Unix commands.
Homework:
Angličtina pro jazykové školy II:
• p. 156 exercise 21.6
Specialist Reading:
• Processor Cache